Wednesday, July 10, 2019

A few months ago I wrote how this year I am transitioning from all conventional products to non-toxic ones. I called it my "non-toxic journey", and so far it has been a slow one. I have been using up products I have and testing out both store made and homemade alternatives. One of the easiest and most economical has been making my own hand soap. In fact the ingredients have lasted months and it takes minutes to make. The great news is, this "recipe" can be customized to be fragrance free or with the simple addition of essential oils it can smell however you want!

Thieves oil is an essential oil blend based on the story of four thieves around the 15th century when the bubonic plague was running rampant. Supposedly those thieves were robbing the bodies of those who had died from the plague and yet never became infected themselves. According to the myth, when the thieves were caught and tried the court offered them leniency in exchange for knowledge on how they remained uninfected. The secret recipe was known as "four thieves vinegar" and consisted of many of the ingredients found in Thieves essential oil.

While that is a fun story and all, what does research say? In 1997 there was a study conducted at Weber State University where Thieves oil was tested for its antibacterial properties. They diffused the blend of oils and saw that in 10 minutes there was an 82% reduction in M. luteus bioaerosols, 96% reduction in P. aeruginosa bioaerosols and 44% reduction in S. aureus bioaerosols. That is only after diffusing for 10 minutes! Interesting stuff, and makes Thieves oil a great addition to soap.

With all that being said though, Thieves and lemon oil smell like Autumn. So if you aren't into the "why" of why I chose those oils, just know they smell good together. The best part about making your own hand soap is you can make it smell however you would like! Experiment and find what scent you like.

It is imperative to use a foaming soap dispenser in order to achieve the correct consistency. I have tried a non-foaming dispenser and it was too thin. The dispenser I use, which is pictured above, I ordered off of Amazon and can be found here.

That's it guys! Enjoy DIYing. If you are interested in purchasing Thieves or lemon essential oil through me, you can post a comment, DM me on Instagram (@LuibrandLand) or click here.

This post may contain affiliate links. Affiliate links come at no extra cost to you. These links allow me to share the products I authentically recommend (and use) and support Luibrand Land by receiving a small commission.

About me

Hi, I'm Christie Anne although my friends call me Christie. I am a wife, recent stay at home mom, and LISW. I worked as a mental health therapist for several years before taking time off for my family and I. This is my little corner of the internet where I write about and share things that can make us all feel beautiful, inside and out.